Your Daily Horoscopes for Thursday, May 26th

Aries

Jupiter and Saturn form their final square in a set that began last summer, dear Aries, and this serves as a reminder to pay attention to rules and limits. Think in terms of priorities and look for ways to cut back and simplify your life. In your case, you may very well be working too much! Excesses in work, nutrition, and attention to daily affairs demand some attention. You may not feel you have the time to explore new interests and ideas with all of the things you have to do these days, but it’s important to make the time in order to live a more balanced life. Today, the Moon moves out of your performance sector and into your social zone, and can help you to do just that. Find ways to unwind and enjoy yourself now.

Taurus

Jupiter and Saturn form their final square in a set today, dear Taurus, and you may be attempting to sort out your relationships and commitments. This influence first occurred last summer and then came exact again in March of this year. This is the final push to find a better balance in your life. Whether or not to make changes or to stick with traditional or familiar patterns can be an issue now. Fears of closeness or intimacy, or the demands of money owed/due, can challenge you. You may want to expand but excesses in other areas of your life need to be tamed. For some of you, there can be challenges in relationships, where the level of intimacy can be an issue or dilemma. The trick to handling this energy well is to look for areas of your life that can be simplified or strengthened and work on those, one step at a time. You’ll end up in an improved frame of mind. Today’s Moon moves into your work and reputation sector late morning, stimulating your ambitions and helping you to get in the right frame of mind to take care of business.

Gemini

The final Jupiter-Saturn square in a set that began last summer occurs today, dear Gemini. It peaked in March of this year, and now you receive a final push to balance your life in key ways. You can feel this pressure most strongly if you’ve been overly dependent or reclusive. Clashes between a partner and home life or family are possible, or this can be experienced as an inner conflict. Certainly, you can feel a little more self-protective than usual. You have all the needed emotional tools at your disposal to work through differences, however, and you might find that this is simply about recognizing your limits. The Moon moves into your adventure sector late morning, and this definitely encourages stepping out of your comfort zone in order to experience new things and to expand your mind. You’re in need of some spontaneity and free form fun.

Cancer

A Jupiter-Saturn square occurs today, dear Cancer, and is the final in a set that began last summer and recurred in March of this year. This longer term influence reminds you of the limits of time and energy, particularly surrounding your daily life, communications, and mental interests. It’s a strong message to simplify so that you don’t end up draining yourself. Look for ways to divide your attention between personal projects and responsibilities in a more balanced way, even if this means cutting back on certain activities. There may be some frustrations with work, routines, or your own habits if you feel that you are unable to get over a bad habit or to move past a problem or attachment. Look for ways to limit, structure, and balance your daily affairs – the answer is with you this week! Today’s energies are strong for emotional wellness, particularly as the day advances. Focus on releasing, purging, and moving forward.

Leo

The Moon’s move into your partnership sector late morning stimulates a more sociable mood, dear Leo, which supports the Sun’s encouragement to reach out and make connections. A Jupiter-Saturn square that first occurred last summer and recurred in March of this is now wrapping up, giving you the final reminder to find ways to simplify, structure, and lean up your projects. It’s important to focus on improving self-discipline and putting better schedules and structures into place. As well, look for ways to bring more balance to your life in terms of practical application and experimentation – learning new things is exciting, but you do need to get down to business as well. There can be the need to cut back on entertainment or extra. The good news is that events occurring now tend to point you in the direction of a more simplified, streamlined, and improved way of life.

Virgo

Jupiter’s square to Saturn today is the final in a set that began last summer, dear Virgo, and that recurred in March of this year. This serves as a reminder to tighten up weak or excessive areas of your life, particularly if you’ve been overdoing pursuit of personal needs to the detriment of household responsibilities. This is an important time for getting your home and family life in order. Plans that have been a little too ambitious may need some reworking. Family life and obligations or heaviness in your personal life can conflict with your desire to grow and expand. Look for ways to simplify your life, as the work you do now on streamlining and restructuring can benefit you for years to come. The Moon moves into your work and health sector late morning, and this influence also encourages tidying up, reorganizing, and sorting things out.

Libra

A Jupiter-Saturn square that first occurred last summer perfects again today, dear Libra, and this is the last in this set. This influence was also exact in March of this year. You have been doing important “work” connecting with your inner world and deeper needs with Jupiter in your solar twelfth house in recent months, but if you’ve been doing this to excess, you’ll be reminded of your other responsibilities now. Too much time spent behind the scenes is not good for you – it’s important to get out there and connect, too. It’s beneficial up to a certain point, after which you might be missing out. Time restraints or building daily pressures can figure strongly now, and it’s your job to simplify as much as you can so that you arrive at a better life balance. Helping you to express and share yourself today is the Moon’s move into your playful solar fifth house late morning, connecting with the Sun in your adventure sector – this is a great time to feed your spirit with new experiences.

Scorpio

Be sure to do a reality check with money and resources before putting more of these things into your projects, dear Scorpio. Today’s Jupiter-Saturn square can turn your strong attention to rules and limits. This influence first occurred last summer, and then came exact again in March of this year. Today marks its final pass, and it encourages you to deal with recent excesses, particularly related to activities that have been impeding work or business progress. If you’ve been overdoing your attention to friendships and your social life, or taking on far too many projects, this is a time for taking steps to get back on track. The Moon moves into your home and family sector late morning, and this helps to settle your feelings. This is a good time, particularly later today, to attend to emotional matters, share feelings, and bond with people you love.

Sagittarius

Your ruler, Jupiter, forms a square with Saturn today, dear Sagittarius, and serves as a reminder to curb excesses, particularly if you’ve been putting too much energy into your work or responsibilities and haven’t taken enough time for more spontaneous, healthy activities. Some of you could be wrestling with problems being seen and heard the way you want on a personal level – you could feel that people are looking to you for what you are able to do for them rather than concerning themselves with your personal needs. Personal responsibilities or self-restrictions can be challenging, affecting your growth in the outside world or career. A business or pursuit may need adjustments and some restructuring in order to better meet the demands of reality. Look for ways to simplify your life and draw some boundaries if you feel others are overstepping them. Slowly but surely – that should be your pace right now! The Moon moves into your communications sector late morning today, and this encourages making connections and reaching out to others.

Capricorn

Today,. Jupiter forms a final square to Saturn, your ruler, sending a reminder to tame excesses, dear Capricorn. If you’ve lined up too many potential projects or if you’re faced with too many choices, you could reach a point of feeling overwhelmed. Self-restriction is a possibility to entertain, as you could be wrestling with fears or guilt that limit your sense of freedom and courage, and you have the tools now to work through these. Financial or legal problems and limits can be an issue for some of you, particularly as you may want to pursue travel or educational plans. The key to success now is to accept some of the restraints of reality, tone down excesses, and simplify your life rather than take on more. Work on any psychological reasons that may be keeping you from learning, branching out, and enjoying yourself. The Moon leaves your sign late morning today, and this puts you in a good frame of mind to take care of business.

Aquarius

You may find time alone with someone important to you, or with yourself, oftentimes preferable to time spent being sociable, dear Aquarius. This is largely because Jupiter is encouraging more joy found with intimacy and Saturn seems to restrict your desire to connect in more impersonal ways. Jupiter and Saturn form a square today, and these themes can seem conflicting, particularly if you have been overdoing things. Intimate relationships or increased need for privacy or exclusiveness can be impacting friendships, and the answer may be to simplify or cut back on something, even if this is not the easiest choice. Taking on too much debt or relying too heavily on others for support can be an issue for some of you now. This is a time for resolving problems by simplifying, structuring, and balancing your life. The Moon moves into your sign late morning today, and this brings your emotional needs to the fore. You’re more noticeable and attractive, particularly later today.

Pisces

The final Jupiter-Saturn square in a set occurs today, dear Pisces, stimulating tensions revolving around long-term ambitions, goals, career, and partnerships. You can get yourself all wound up about others’ expectations of you – you can be frustrated with critical observations and limits imposed by others, particularly related to performance and responsibilities. Excess attention to work can leave other areas of your life wanting, or your desire to pursue a relationship can conflict with professional pressures and demands. It can be difficult to find balance in your life right now with people pulling you in different directions, but every effort should be made towards simplifying things so that you can get as close to balance as possible. You might find that you have all the right tools to do so now. The Moon enters your privacy sector late morning, stimulating a stronger desire to escape from everyday demands – and it’s important to do so now! This is a good time to slow down and heal.

Astrology of Today – May 26, 2016

Summary:

• The Moon is in Capricorn until 10:26 AM.
• The Moon is void until 10:26 AM (since 9:11 PM yesterday).
• The Moon is in Aquarius from 10:26 AM forward (until Saturday, May 28th, at 5:05 PM).
• The Moon is waning and in its Waning Gibbous phase.
• A Full Moon occurred on the 21st, and a Last Quarter Moon will occur on May 29th.
• Mercury is direct and is in its post-retrograde shadow until June 7th.
• Mars is retrograde (Mars is retrograde from April 17-June 29).

27th May – 2nd August 2016: Mars in Scorpio

a message from Sarah Varcas

To view more of Sarah’s insight, please visit her website, Astro-Awakenings

Sacred Grit and Divine Grace

27^th May sees Mars retrograde back into Scorpio where it remains until 2^nd August, fortifying our determination to leave no stone unturned when it comes to self-knowledge and the on-going evolution of consciousness. This Mars is a force to be reckoned with. Any thorny issues we tried to skirt around during the first two months of this year may sabotage us now unless we stand firm to face them, do what must be done, say what must be said and embrace the consequences with courage and fortitude. Mars in Scorpio can be a tough taskmaster, ceaseless in his efforts to dislodge whatever obstructs the truth. So best bring any compromising secrets out into the open now, before he does it for us with his characteristically uncompromising zeal!

For those in need of resilient endurance to move through challenging circumstances, Mars in Scorpio can be a wonderful ally. His unremitting resolve and unfailing determination helps us turn about any challenge, arising triumphant out of what first looked like ashes. This is the power of rebirth on our side, emerging from destruction against all the odds, ensuring we ascend victorious. But there are conditions placed upon our victory. If we use it merely for power over others we will soon find ourselves exposed and deposed, up-ended by a universe that simply will not tolerate self-interest when a greater well-being is at stake. Never was it more important than now to restore harmony, reconnect the disconnected, mend the broken and heal our wounds. Those who continue to impose their own will upon a life which serves far greater agendas may meet a formidable foe in this Mars, who demands its own highest expression from us all.

Physical activity is always important during Mars’s journey through the sign of the Scorpion. Its forceful energy may need to be channelled through the physical for release. Dancing, running, sex, a brisk walk or a feisty workout can all help us manage positively the power of this planet. If we allow ourselves to get too absorbed in its emotionality we risk losing connection with the grounding influence of the physical. Stay close to Mother Earth during this time. Walk bare-feet upon her, feel the wind in your hair, the rain on your face, the sun on your skin. Remember there is all manner of support around, to help us conduct the cosmic forces that animate our being. We’re not in this alone and the more we open ourselves to the possibility of powerful allies in the energetic realm, the more we can receive supportive blessings of sacred grit and divine grace.

Deep within, far away and all around, the force of Mars in Scorpio is unavoidably felt. As it penetrates our psyche its flames of transformation reveal the truth of who we are. We misuse it at our peril, but it bestows bold blessings when afforded deep respect and boundless awe.

 

Daily Enchantments & Incantations for Everyday of the Month – Day 15

A Wish Fulfillment Spell

I wish this, with all of my heart.
A new day, a new way, and a fresh start.
Grant me my wish my gratitude shows,
A magickal response and my desires juxtaposed.

*Repeat your wish three times and remain focused that it will come true.
Give it time. And above all else….BELIEVE!

Source

Daily Incantations & Enchantments A Spell a Day for the Month
Garden Summerland

Custom Made Magick for Thursday

Well, let’s see … abundance, prosperity, and good health has been our focus for this day. Now how about a little more information and ideas for working practical magick with one of our fascinating featured deities of the day?

Juno was the Queen of Heaven. As the matriarch of the gods, she guarded over women in every aspect of their lives. Juno was thought to have renewed her virginity every year. Similar to other goddess stories, Juno was a triple goddess-a virgin who belonged to no one; a mother and woman in the prime of her life, sexual and mature; and also a crone, powerful, wise, and sometimes vengeful (as she made her husband’s many mistresses’ lives either fairly unhappy or short).

There are references to an early all-female triad of goddesses known as the Capitoline Triad. This triad consisted of Juventas, Juno, and Minerva. To the Greeks, they would have been known as Hebe, Hera, and Hecate. Ultimately the triad became Juno, Minerva, and the male Jupiter. Jupiter, another of Thursday’s gods, was Juno’s consort.

As mentioned earlier, Juno, in her aspect as Juno Moneta, was the patron and protector of the Roman mint. The coins produced at her temples were blessed by Juno and imbued with her powers of abundance and prosperity. In another of her aspects as Juno Augusta, Juno was the goddess of an abundant harvest.

In addition, another of Juno’s magickal correspondences is the semiprecious stone malachite. Malachite is a beautiful green-banded stone that was also called the “peacock stone” in Italy. The peacock was a sacred animal of Juno’s, and the magickal energies of malachite encourage health and prosperity.

Source

Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan

Correspondences for Jupiter

Attributes: legal matters, business, growth, prosperity, power, agreements, organizations

Elements: Air and Fire

Herbs: cedar, sage, nutmeg

Stones: sodalite, lapis lazuli, sapphire

Day: Thursday

Source

A Spell Crafter’s Compendium
Terri Paajanen

The Witches Correspondences for Thursday, May 26

Thursday (Thor’s day)

Planet: Jupiter

Colors: Purple, Deep Blue

Crystals: Amethyst, Lepidolite, Sugilite, Tin

Aroma: Melissa, Clove, Oakmoss, Jupiter Oil, Cinnamon, Musk, Nutmeg, and Sage

Herb: Cinquefoil

Ruled by the planet Jupiter and dedicated to Thor, god of thunder and agricultural work. His parallels in various European Traditions include Zeus, Taranis, Perun, and Perkunas.

Magical aspects: controlled optimism, energetic growth, physical well-being, material success, expansion, money/wealth, prosperity, leadership, and generosity.

Thursday is the day of Jupiter, the largest of the planets and said to be the most powerful. Spellcasters would be wise to use this day for attempting wealth, success and prosperity spells.

Thursday is also associated (in Greek mythology) to Thor – Thor’s day – and some even say that Jupiter and Thor are one in the same. Both are strong and powerful, yet wise and just. Try a small prayer to Jupiter before commencing any ritual on Thursday as a sign of respect.

This is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving luck, happiness, health, legal matters, male fertility, treasure, wealth, honour, riches, clothing, money, desires, business, group pursuits, joy, laughter, and expansion

When the Moon is in Aquarius

The Mood of Aquarius

Friend to All

When the Moon is in Aquarius, we don’t want to be bound to routines. There’s an impulse to break out of claustrophobic situations and relationships. We are friendly, but in a more detached way.

Aquarius is the sign of the visionary. So when the instinctual Moon is here, there can be emotional outbursts to go along with the inspiration. Thoughts about humanity as a whole, and ways to be a contributor to its evolution are on our minds. We want to connect with everybody, and are more open to those from very different walks of life.

We crave cutting edge ideas, and may go seeking it in people and our own investigations. It’s a time of going beyond the usual perceptive filters. Winding down under this Moon means reading or following a thread of fascination.

Aquarius relates to currents of the body, as well as the mind and spirit. This is a good time to schedule energy healing or acupuncture.

Social Scene

The Moon in Aquarius can bring blessed relief from too much emoting.

It allows us the distance to see the big picture. The mood takes us down tangents of thought, or brings exciting flash ideas. It’s a great time for tuning into the popular memes out there.

It favors social networking via the net, or experimenting with other technologies that keep you connected. It’s time for embracing the new, the futuristic and innovative.

It is the right mood for turning into group energy. It encourages a respect for each person, along with a cohesive awareness of the group as a whole.

You can see your place in the bigger scheme of things, when the Moon is in this air sign. You can get an abstract take on how the different strands fit together. The Moon in Aquarius tunes us into the group psyche and soul.

Beat of Own Drummer

And yet, Aquarius is unpredictable and the Moon is too. I know many with Aquarius Moon in their natal chart who retreat into books and solitude. One striking thing I’ve noticed is they make no excuses — they simply go their own way. This is a strength of the fixed sign Aquarius — a sign that settles into its own atmospheres, often very deeply. It’s why it’s known for being in its own world.

With Moon in Aquarius, it’s time to be in your own world. There’s a sense of freedom that comes from stabilizing yourself in your own thoughts, no matter where they lead. That makes it a stellar time to honor your need to get lost in your own world of the mind. And in that atmosphere, there are often glimpses of something new at the edges, as Aquarius is a sign of the future.

Some power activities now: getting energy work, like acupuncture or reflexology; attend a community-building event; conceptualize a plan; brainstorm at work; send a mass email to friends and family; update your social networking profile; break free of a social convention; mix with those outside your usual circle; conspire to rebel or reform; break out of the matrix!

Follow the Moon!

The Moon sets the emotional tone as it transits through the Zodiac signs. It changes signs every 2 1/2 days. You can work with this rhythm to “go with the flow” of the Moon. You can use it to know the general feeling tone to expect.
 

Source

Molly Hall, Astrology Expert

Article published on & owned by About.com

Aquarius’ Correspondences

Attributes: Controlling, unusual, social, open-minded, leadership

Herbs: foxglove, pine, nutmeg, curry, allspice

Stones: amber, malachite, aquamarine, turquoise

Element: Air

Day: Saturday

Colors: All colors

Planet: Saturn & Uranus
 

Source

A Spell Crafter’s Compendium
Terri Paajanen

The Witches Almanac for Thursday, May 26th

Thursday (Jupiter): Expansion, money, prosperity, and generosity.

Pepys’ Commemoration (English)

Waning Moon
The Waning Moon (from the Full Moon to the New) is a time for study, meditation, and little magical work (except magic designed to banish harmful energies).

Moon Phase: Third Quarter

Moon Sign: Capricorn
Capricorn: Develops strong structure. Focus on traditions, responsibilities, and obligations. A good time to set boundaries and rules.

Moon enters Aquarius 10:27 am
Aquarius: Rebellious energy. Time to break habits and make abrupt changes. Personal freedom and individuality is the focus.

Incense: Apricot

Color: Green

Magickal Days of the Week – Thursday

Thursday is a day of royal blues and greens, associated with the planet Jupiter and metals like tin. When it comes to deities, look at leader type gods like Thor, Zeus, and Jupiter. Gemstone correspondences for Thursday include turquoise, amethyst and lapis lazuli, and plant associations can be found in honeysuckle, cinquefoil, and even oak trees.

This is a day for honor, fealty and family loyalty, as well as harvesting, success, and prosperity.

Take advantage of Thursday’s different aspects and do spellwork that brings abundance to you, declares your allegiance, and embraces prosperity.
 

Author

Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article published on & owned by About.com

Thursday’s Witchery

Today is the day for prosperity work of all kinds. It can also be used for healing work, whether that is a physical healing of an illness or an emotional healing. Also remember that you have to follow up your healing work and prosperity magick and physical action.

I can’t tell you the number of times I have met new witches who complain to me that their prosperity spell or “I need a better job” spell did not work as they expected. They’ll ramble on and on about how much time and money they spent working their magick….but, alas, they had no glorious manifestation of wealth or fabulous job that suddenly dropped out of the sky and landed in their laps.

Then, when I gently ask them, “Did you enchant your resume or application when you filled it out? Did you do a little confidence-boosting spellwork when you went to apply for the job or went to the interview?” typically they give me a blank, confused stare.

Nine times out of ten, their response is, “You mean I have to go out and actually look for the job too?” Um, yes, my dear, you certainly do. Magick follows the path of least resistance, which means it’s going to manifest along the simplest, quickest route. Get out there and hit the pavement. See what you can find. Times are tough and competition for good jobs is fierce, so you need whatever edge you can get. For folks like us, we’re going to get the edge by using our magick and our spellcraft.

Thursdays have such a rich source of magick for us to draw upon that, honestly, the sky is the limit. This is the day associated with the gods of the sky and heavens, after all. Get to know these deities and add their wisdom and magick into your days
 

Source

Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan

Thursday

Jupiter’s (Thor’s) day

⦁ Middle English – thursday or thuresday
⦁ Old Norse– thorsdagr – Thor’s day
⦁ Old English– thunresdæg – Thunder’s day
⦁ Latin – dies Jovis – “Day of Jupiter”
⦁ Ancient Greek – hemera Dios – “day of Zeus”

The name is derived from Old English and Middle English Thuresday (with loss of -n-, first in northern dialects, from influence of Old Norse Þorsdagr) meaning “Thor’s Day”. Thunor, Donar (German, Donnerstag) and Thor are derived from the name of the Germanic god of thunder, Thunraz, equivalent to Jupiter in the interpretation romance.

In most Romance languages, the day is named after the Roman god Jupiter, who was the god of sky and thunder. In Latin, the day was known as Iovis Dies, “Jupiter’s Day”. In Latin, the genitive or possessive case of Jupiter was Iovis/Jovis and thus in most Romance languages it became the word for Thursday: Italian giovedì, Spanish jueves, French jeudi, Sardinian jòvia, Catalan dijous, and Romanian joi.

This is also reflected in the p-Celtic Welsh dydd Iau.

The astrological and astronomical sign of the planet Jupiter is sometimes used to represent Thursday.
Since the Roman god Jupiter was identified with Thunor (Norse Thor in northern Europe), most Germanic languages name the day after this god: Torsdag in Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish, Hósdagur/Tórsdagur in Faroese, Donnerstag in German or Donderdag in Dutch. Finnish and Northern Sami, both non-Germanic (Uralic) languages, uses the borrowing “Torstai” and “Duorastat”. In the extinct Polabian Slavic language, it was perundan, Perun being the Slavic equivalent of Thor.

There are a number of modern names imitating the naming of Thursday after an equivalent of “Jupiter” in local tradition. In most of the languages of India, the word for Thursday is Guruvar- var meaning day and guru being the style for Bṛhaspati, guru to the gods and regent of the planet Jupiter. In Thai, the word is Wan Pharuehatsabodi—referring to the Hindu deity Bṛhaspati, also associated with Jupiter. En was an old Illyrian deity and in his honor in the Albanian language Thursday is called “Enjte”. In the Nahuatl language, Thursday is Tezcatlipotōnal meaning “day of Tezcatlipoca”.

Spellcrafting for Thursday

ñ Prosperity
ñ Wealth
ñ Growth
ñ Luck
ñ Male energy
ñ Debts
ñ Finances
ñ Development
ñ Legal issues

Source

A Spell Crafter’s Compendium
Terri Paajanen

Goddess Book of Days for Thursday, May 26th

Day of Goddess Chin- hua-fu-jen in China, an Amazon Goddess. Other Amazon Goddesses are: Artemis, Diana, Athena, Oya, Minerva, Selene, Luna, Myrina, Mayauel, Lato, Eileathyia, Arinna, Hippolyta. The twenty- sixth day of the Moon/ month belongs to Cerridwen.

Source

The Goddess Book of Days
Diane Stein

Thursday, May 26th

Thursday is the day of the planet Jupiter, dedicated to Thunor(Thor), God of thunder and agricultural work. His parallels in various European traditions are Zeus, Taranis, Perun, Perkunas and St. Olaf. The faith of the Northern Tradition holds Thursday sacred, just as Islam reveres Friday, Judaism the Sabbath(calculated from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday), and Christianity, Sunday. This is why almost all adages about Thursday are positve, such as “Thursday’s child has far to go,” “Sneeze on Thursday, something better,” or “Cut nails on Thursday for wealth.” Thursday rules controlled optimism, energetic growth, physical well-being and material success.

Deity: Thor

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn/Pisces/Sagittarius

Planet: Mercury

Tree: Oak

Herb: Henbane

Stone: Turquoise/Bloodstone/Topaz

Animal: Fish/Goat/Aurochs

Element: Fire

Color: Brown/White/Orange

Number: 3

Rune: Thorn

Celtic Tree Month of Hauth (Hawthorn) – May 13 – June 9. Hawthorn month is a time of fertility, masculine energy, and fire. Also associated with the realm of Faerie.

Runic Half-Month of Ing (expansive, energy) – May 14 -28

Goddess of the Month of Hera – May 16 – June 12. Hera is associated with motherhood, marriage, the household, infidelities, beauty, luxury
 

Source

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick

The Sky This Week: May 26 – May 29

Mars is the star of the show this week, but comet fans and a few gas giants will make welcome appearances in the night sky.
By Richard Talcott

Thursday, May 26

• One of the spring sky’s finest deep-sky objects, the Beehive star cluster (M44) in the constellation Cancer the Crab, lies about one-third of the way from the western horizon to the zenith after darkness falls. With naked eyes under a dark sky, you should be able to spot this star group as a faint and fuzzy cloud. But the Beehive explodes into dozens of stars through binoculars or a small telescope at low power.

Friday, May 27

• Although Saturn will reach opposition and peak visibility one week from today, observers will be hard-pressed to see it as inferior this week. The ringed planet rises before 9 p.m. local daylight time and appears highest in the south around 1:30 a.m. Saturn shines at magnitude 0.0 and stands out against the relatively dim background stars of southern Ophiuchus. If you target the beautiful world through a telescope, you’ll see its 18″-diameter disk surrounded by a ring system that spans 42″ and tilts 26° to our line of sight.

Saturday, May 28

• Mars’ westward motion relative to the background stars carries it from Scorpius into Libra today. But for a quick change of pace, grab your binoculars tonight and target Zubenelgenubi (Alpha [a] Librae), the modestly bright star on the constellation’s opposite side. With even the slightest optical aid, Zubenelgenubi resolves into two stars. Nearly 4′ separate the 3rd-magnitude primary from the 5th-magnitude secondary.

See “10 tempting spring binocular targets” in the May issue of Astronomy for other treats visible through binoculars.

Sunday, May 29

• Last Quarter Moon arrives at 8:12 a.m. EDT. It rises around 1:30 a.m. local daylight time and climbs higher in the southeast as dawn approaches. During this period, our half-lit satellite lies near the center of Aquarius the Water-bearer.
 

Source

Astronomy Magazine

Your Daily Sun & Moon Data for Thursday, May 26th

Sun
Sun Direction: ↑ 105.67° ESE
Sun Altitude: 54.18°
Sun Distance: 94.180 million mi
Next Solstice: Jun 20, 2016 5:34 PM (Summer)
Sunrise Today: 5:38 AM↑ 62° Northeast
Sunset Today: 8:05 PM↑ 298° Northwest
Length of Daylight: 14 hours, 26 minutes

Moon
Moon Direction: ↑ 253.99° WSW
Moon Altitude: -6.97°
Moon Distance: 241124 mi
Next New Moon: Jun 4, 20169:59 PM
Next Full Moon: Jun 20, 20166:02 AM
Next Moonrise: Today11:59 PM
Current Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 78.9%

Source

timeanddate.com